Cant boot from a USB even though it's in device manager

[Ukdodger]

I'm running W7 home on a Samsung RV510 laptop.

I have a HDD plugged into a USB port

I can see all the files and folders on the HDD.

It has a copy of W7 home on it and if I install it directly into the laptop it boots up fine.

But not from a USB

I've been into Bios, Put it at the top of the boot order disabled Legacy (SSD) OS and enabled USB (HDD) OS.

But it still boots into the SSD OS.

Also tried the other USB port.

Trolled the net for answers without success.

Anyone have any ideas?

 

[mrjimphelps]

Your computer has to be set up to be able to boot from a USB ("external") device. There are two ways to do this:

• As the computer is booting up, start tapping on the F10 key. You will soon get a boot menu, from which you can select "external device".
• Go into the computer's setup. Go to the Boot Order. Make sure that "external device" is ahead of "hard drive" in the boot order. I suggest that you also put "CD/DVD" (or maybe "Optical Disk") ahead of "hard drive" in the boot order. Now, with the hard drive plugged in, boot the computer, and be watching for the message to "hit any key to boot from the external device" - it will show only for a second. When you see it, hit a key.

I always put external device and CD/DVD ahead of hard drive in my boot order, because there are occasions that I will want to boot from one of these devices, and this makes it easier to do so.

 

[samuria]

Normally Windows 7 won't boot from external HD

 

[Megahertz07]

Please explain what you have on the external USB HDD.
Is a copy of Win7 installation disk? If so, how did you transfer it to the USB HDD?

USB Windows 7 Installation Key Drive - Create - Windows 7 Help Forums

 

[Barman58]

The running of any windows 7 installation over USB is specifically prohibited by Microsoft who hardcode this into the OS itself, There are some ways reportedly that that have been used in the past to allow this but this sort of hacking of the OS is in breach of the End user licence and so is not a matter for discussion here. The OS may run from an external enclosure if the enclosure is connected via an eSATA connection

You would also need a separate licence key for the OS loaded on the System itself and on the USB as you can only use a licence with a single install (there are specialist licences available that allows multiple use but these are not available to regular users

 

[mrjimphelps]

You can run newer versions of Windows from an external USB drive. Beginning with Windows 8.0, Enterprise versions of Windows had a feature called Windows To Go, which provided for this. (Also, Windows 10 Education version.)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_To_Go

 

[Barman58]

I always put external device and CD/DVD ahead of hard drive in my boot order, because there are occasions that I will want to boot from one of these devices, and this makes it easier to do so.

Strangely enough I used to do this in the good old days, but for many years now I always have my System drive as the first boot device, reason for this is that my way means that no unknown USB drive left in the USB ports either accidently or maliciously is able to boot and potentially unleash some malware payload

Unlikely maybe but safer is best

 

[mrjimphelps]

Strangely enough I used to do this in the good old days, but for many years now I always have my System drive as the first boot device, reason for this is that my way means that no unknown USB drive left in the USB ports either accidently or maliciously is able to boot and potentially unleash some malware payload

Unlikely maybe but safer is best

Sounds like a safe plan. Not sure why I don't do that; I tend to be very OCD about computer security.

 

[Barman58]

There was a surge of USB and to a lesser extent Optical disk transferred malware, back in the late 20th and early 21st century, that took over from dodgy floppies and has since been replaced by the drivebys and email malware.

There was also the user based crapware, that I used this system to prevent. If the user could not boot from a CD, DVD, or USB stick then they could not do anything to the system, (the access was always tied down tightly once the user was logged in, with admin credentials required to access any external data

 

[Ukdodger]

Your computer has to be set up to be able to boot from a USB ("external") device. There are two ways to do this:

• As the computer is booting up, start tapping on the F10 key. You will soon get a boot menu, from which you can select "external device".
• Go into the computer's setup. Go to the Boot Order. Make sure that "external device" is ahead of "hard drive" in the boot order. I suggest that you also put "CD/DVD" (or maybe "Optical Disk") ahead of "hard drive" in the boot order. Now, with the hard drive plugged in, boot the computer, and be watching for the message to "hit any key to boot from the external device" - it will show only for a second. When you see it, hit a key.

I always put external device and CD/DVD ahead of hard drive in my boot order, because there are occasions that I will want to boot from one of these devices, and this makes it easier to do so.

Thanks for your reply. Unfortunately I dont have those options in my Bois which is accessible only though F2. Maybe you're referring an older W7 version. But thanks anyway.

 

[Ukdodger]

Thanks for all the replies gents but it looks like a lost cause. Maybe MS have made it impossible but it's odd that they didnt then remove the Bios 'Legacy USB support' option unless it means something different altogether.

Take the point about security. It's a good one and easily overlooked but for me this is temporary. I just want to know what's on the disk before I clone it to the SSD which is playing up (crashes almost constantly). Being able to pop between the two makes comparison a lot easier.

 

[Barman58]

The boot order is not related in any way to the Windows 7 OS Installation. It is a function of the system hardware controls and I have not seen a BIOS that does not have a way to access this option.

This is an explanatory web page from Samsung
How To Use The BIOS Setup Utility

 

[Ukdodger]

The boot order is not related in any way to the Windows 7 OS Installation. It is a function of the system hardware controls and I have not seen a BIOS that does not have a way to access this option.

This is an explanatory web page from Samsung
How To Use The BIOS Setup Utility

Yes I've done all that without result. One thing that may be a clue is the USB option shown in the BIOS has 'N/A' beside it. But never any numbers

 

[Barman58]

That would suggest to me that the USB HDD is not a bootable disk

I would expect that, if the disk contains a live installed copy of Windows, one that is prohibited to run under windows rules as mentioned above.

Alternatively ...
If the HDD contains an installer for windows this this may not be correctly installed on the HDD, (a HDD is basically considered to be a large capacity USB stick), special software is required to correctly write a workable bootable installer onto a USB device

I personally use Rufus to prepare USB devices for bootable use Full instructions are included in the link

 

[Ukdodger]

That would suggest to me that the USB HDD is not a bootable disk

I would expect that, if the disk contains a live installed copy of Windows, one that is prohibited to run under windows rules as mentioned above.

Alternatively ...
If the HDD contains an installer for windows this this may not be correctly installed on the HDD, (a HDD is basically considered to be a large capacity USB stick), special software is required to correctly write a workable bootable installer onto a USB device

I personally use Rufus to prepare USB devices for bootable use Full instructions are included in the link

Cheers for that. I looked at Rufus but it looked to me that I have to format the disk first. Is that correct or can it be made bootable without overwriting the W7?

 

[Barman58]

Re reading your previous reply, are you stating that you cannot read the contents of the disk?, even though the disk shows in the disk management in Windows?

If this is the case then there are a few things you can try

 

[Ukdodger]

Re reading your previous reply, are you stating that you cannot read the contents of the disk?, even though the disk shows in the disk management in Windows?

If this is the case then there are a few things you can try

No I can see all the folders and files when it's in the USB port.

 

[Barman58]

OK if you can read the disk then it is working as designed, the disk cannot be booted into the OS on the disk due to restrictions in place.

You may have one option which is beyond my experience but it may be possible.

Windows 7 Installation - Transfer to a New Computer - Windows 7 Help Forums

You may need to install the old drive into the case, Not an option on a laptop or use an Esata connection to enable the work required there are USB-eSATA convertors available but not sure if these will get around the Restrictions or not

There is also a possibility to convert the existing HDD installation into a virtual machine which should be in the tutorials here but that is beyond my knowledge also

 

[Ukdodger]

OK if you can read the disk then it is working as designed, the disk cannot be booted into the OS on the disk due to restrictions in place.

You may have one option which is beyond my experience but it may be possible.

Windows 7 Installation - Transfer to a New Computer - Windows 7 Help Forums

You may need to install the old drive into the case, Not an option on a laptop or use an Esata connection to enable the work required there are USB-eSATA convertors available but not sure if these will get around the Restrictions or not

There is also a possibility to convert the existing HDD installation into a virtual machine which should be in the tutorials here but that is beyond my knowledge also

Ok Barman. Thanks a lot for your help.

 

[Megahertz07]

You didn't answer my post #4 Cant boot from a USB even though it's in device manager - Windows 7 Help Forums

What we want to know it what you have on the HDD is a installed windows or the windows installation files.